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Saturday 22 March 2014

10 Tips To Get Back In The Driver's Seat

Is your business turning into a success story or is it more a saga of ‘terror and dread’?

As we struggle to stay on top of the mountain of paperwork, emails and the very time consuming social media marketing, the passion and enthusiasm that drove us to start our own business can soon become a distant memory Throw in the networking and sales we are expected to do in order to keep the business profitable and it is no wonder that we end up working “in the business” versus “on the business.”
Working in the business inevitably leads to the business and you getting stuck in a cycle of repetitive paralysis (i.e. ineffective practices, non-existent or useless strategies and “toxic” behaviours hammered by mounting self-doubt and diminishing self-confidence). This is accompanied by the cross road stage where you keep asking yourself ‘Do I carry on or do I cut my losses and run?’

This is a side of business that is not often trending on Twitter or talked about very much on social media networks; no one likes to admit that they are overwhelmed and unsure, that their business is stuck in a rut and they are not quite sure what to do next. The reality is that everyone,(yes everyone) who owns a business goes through repetitive paralysis at some point, and sometimes more than once. 

Here's Ten Tips to get you back in the in the driver’s seat…

1. Why are you in business? - The reason you started the business is important as it is your reason for being.
Rediscover, harness and leverage the entrepreneurial spirit that started it all.

2. What do you want? - When our life goals and values are not aligned with our business objectives, it sets off a chain reaction of stress and anxiety.
Get clarity of what you want and make sure that your life goals are aligned with your business objectives. 

3. Ditch the ‘leap-of-faith’ strategy - No one can operate successfully when they have a vague or no idea of where they are going. Dust off the business plan and start using it as the roadmap by which you run your business. Make sure you keep it updated, always!

4. So, how well is your business doing? - Take a good hard look at your current reality. Be honest with yourself about how you are doing in the market, with your products, services, brand, customers, competition operations and the state of your financial position. 

5. Are you innovating? - Boost your core business by improving and building on your existing services and products

6. Emotions And Business Don’t Mix - Drama and melodrama will only create knee jerk decisions that are unproductive and reactive.
Revolutionise your thinking and approach by cultivating a business conscious mentality and attitude.

7. How’s your self-confidence? - Lack of self-confidence is one of the main obstacles that keep us and our businesses in a rut.
Maintaining a positive belief in yourself is crucial. So too is the passion, excitement and enjoyment of what you are doing.

8. Are your behaviours sabotaging your business? - Your behaviour may be having a negative impact on your business and your performance. In times of stress and when we find ourselves under pressure, our positive qualities can turn into less attractive behaviour.
Ask your clients, employees, partners and anyone connected with the business to give you honest feedback on your behaviour.

9. Keep track of your business results: the good, the bad and the ugly - Besides setting goals and targets you also need to be tracking the results…how else can you determine what works and what doesn’t. 

10. Ask for help - As business owners we tend to retreat into isolation when faced with a problem or issue rather than reaching out to others who have experienced similar problems. Get yourself a mentor, business coach or join a mastermind group where you can talk and brainstorm with people who are in similar situations.

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